The Dark Temple

They slowly move around the room looks like they dont attack until they're attacked. I run over to a straggler his reaction time is crazy for something that moves so slow.

I block his first two blows putting my hand on his chest extracting his core. he screeches as he drops to the ground in a pile of ash.

The other skeletons start moving faster. I refine the core in my hand the moment they all surround me I throw it on the ground send a pulse of light through the tower destroying all the skeletons at once.

I take off towards the wall, black lightning arcs off my body. I run up the wall and through the first layer. the lightning vanishes instantly before I start to lose momentum black flames shoot off my body propelling me forward. each layer stops me from using any spell ive used in the previous layer.

As I run I let out pulses of heat melting the Skeleton serpents coming from the holes in the walls. This tower has 5 layers the platform reads my power level sending monsters a few levels above my own.

I make it to the next layer and start using wind to blast myself upwards. Skeleton birds... great...

I send hundreds of dark wind slashes in all directions as I blow through the next layer using Ice. The ice freezes the winged reapers solid, they drop to the ground shattering with a loud crack.

The moment I pass the final layer I fly as high as possible with the frost jet before my momentum stops. I hold my hand out a black chain forms from my hand attaching to the stone platform. I retract the chain like a grapple swinging myself up onto the platform.

The platform glows dropping to the bottom floor with a loud boom. The stone door becomes transparent. Irina rushes over to the barrier with tears in her eyes. "Ren!"

I look to my left a massive tower knight stands ready to attack he swings his massive great sword. I drop back on my ass as it barley misses my face.

He gets ready to attack again I flip backwards recovering, he raises his sword above his head and I charge at him.

He swings his sword down hard and fast, I kick high shattering the massive blade into a billion pieces at the same time I lift my right hand a black and gold pistol appears. I pull back the hammer firing a shot into his first exposed core blowing it apart.

The force of the explosion blows me back into the barrier. Luke yells. "Are you okay!?"

I grab my head slightly dazed looking at the tower knight. "Yeah, you can hit pretty hard big guy."

He's already charged a beam from his 3rd eye. I stand up as he fires. I hold my hands out channeling the blast into my mouth. a jet black crystal mask covers my ears nose and mouth, it opens revealing sharp crystal teeth.

I bite down on the beam the moment it hits my hands destroying the spell and absorbing the raw power. the mask distorts my voice making it sound demonic. "Let's finish this."

The tower knight drops the blades handle roaring loudly. I charge towards him black light flows from my body he swings his hand down flat trying to squash me like a bug.

I lower my stance jumping high into the air at the last moment boring a hole through his palm. he was waiting for me. he has a beam charged and ready. he releases the beam point blank.

I use the back of my left hand to slap it into the wall across the room. the tower shakes violently. I land on his forearm launching myself up his arm doing a front flip drop kick through his head. on the way up I shoot his 2nd core.

I push off the remains of his head as he stumbles back I start to flip backwards. I turn while upside down a high powered sniper rifle appears in my hands and I pour the rest of his power into the chamber.

The moment I pull the trigger a sonic boom shakes the tower to its core. A thin beam of black light obliterates his final core turning him to ash sending a huge plume of dust into the air. the blast was so powerful it pushes me upright.

I land dropping to one knee the gun vanishes. I breath heavily its been a while since I've had this much of a workout.

A voice echos from the other side of the room. "You've done well to make it this far unmarked human."

I turn my head as the dust settles its a dark litch "Thanks... I guess."

He summons a dark sword. "I have been sent by the god of death to guard this temple. be grateful unmarked one! for I will be taking your life personally!"

He vanishes appearing beside me swinging his sword down. I lift my hand slightly in his direction blowing him back across the room embedding him into the wall with a loud crack.

I stand up dusting myself off. "The least you can do is let me catch my breath, no need to be so egar to die."

He staggers forward holding himself up with his sword. "You insolent human! you dare raise a hand to a perfect being such as myself!?"

I smile "you aren't much to look at and if I can toss you around like a rag doll Im guessing that god of death isn't much of a threat either."

He points at me. "Shut your mouth!"

A bolt of lightning comes at me I slap it to the ground yawning. I glance down. "Was that an attack? I thought you just misfired... How pathetic."

He vanishes appearing above me swinging his sword at full power. "Die!"

I glance up my eyes glow gold chains come out of the ground slamming him into the ground. I have the chains set him up on his knees.

He jerks at the chains. "Release me human!"

I glance at him. "Don't bother, they won't break. trust me..."

He glares at me, I walk over holding my hand out extracting his core he screams in agony as I do. he doesn't die if its removed, he dies when its destroyed. I think Ill have some fun with him.

I hold it up to my mouth altering it into a crystal cigar. I flip open the lighter a gold flame appears, I light the end of the cigar he screams even louder as I inhale the smoke.

I blow a ring of gold smoke at him it hovers in front of his face. I point two fingers at him like a gun. "Bang."

A bolt of black lightning arcs down my arm then off my fingers and through the ring instantly turning his body to ash. I flick the cigar away it hits the ground shattering into dust.

The barrier drops and a black playing card with a reaper on it appears in front of me. I hold it over my right arm. a black magic circle appears on my skin I can move it with the card. I put it on my right shoulder. the card sinks into my skin and the magic circles becomes etched into my body like a tattoo.

I walk over to the exit my mask crumbles off vanishing into gold light.

Irina runs over hugging me. "Ren! You're okay aren't you?"

I nod patting my stomach. "All good-"

She goes from worried to pissed embers flow off her hair she grabs whats left of my shirt. "Why did you go in there alone! you said we where going to fight together I dont know what id do if you would have died! Think about how I would feel before you do something so reckless."

I pat her head she tears up slightly. "I'm alive so don't worry about it."

My mark glows for a moment sucking all of my mana out I start to drop Luke and Irina catch me. "Whoa careful."

They lower me to the ground "are you sure you're okay?"

I nod pushing him back leaning against the wall. "Yeah."

I look at my hands the illusion spell is cracking like glass. I reach into my pocket tossing a mint into my mouth biting down on it my hands go back to normal and my power returns.

I start to put them back into my pocket Irina drops to her knees grabbing my hand with the mints in them. "Ren what are these? Every time you take one I cant feel your magic signature. what is this spell on your body its very elaborate."

I put my mints into my pocket. "Dont worry about it we should just focus on getting as close to the kingdom as we can."

I stand up she stands in front of me. "I wont go another step with you until you tell me what that spell is about!"

I step closer to her looking her in the eyes "Get on the carriage princess."

She looks nervous "a-and if I dont?"

My mask appears on my face I lean in next to her ear. "You dont really wanna know the answer to that do you?"

I walk past her getting on the carriage.